Women’s participation along the cowpea value chain: The case of Eastern Province of Zambia Leveraging legumes to combat poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample households were drawn from 124 households that benefited from a Feed The Future SIMLEZA project that was implemented in Eastern part of Zambia from October 2011 to September, Mixed methods were used in collecting data by using individual house hold questionnaires and focus group discussions. Participants to the study were from both project and non-project areas. The study districts were Katete and Chipata. Data were collected between December, 2015 and January, In the first stage, each district was stratified into agricultural blocks as primary sampling units. In the second stage, agricultural camps were randomly selected, with the camps allocated proportionally to the selected blocks, and the camps selected with probability of selection proportional to size. Data were analyzed using econometric models such as Probit model was used to determine factors that affect major activities in the value chain such as production, marketing and processing. This estimation process helped us to identify gender-based constraints (GBCs) or opportunities in the value chain. Data that were collected using Focus group discussions were used to explain some of the results that were gotten using econometric models. DISCUSSIONS Women participate in the value chain only if they are aware of the available benefits within the chain and have the means to finance the various economics activities they are involved in along the value chain. Thus, increased access to institutional support services such as extension, credit and input supply should thus be a major part of efforts aimed at promoting women’s participation in the cowpea value chain. Women who have access to animal power would have more labor for agricultural production as well as reliable and safe means of transportation to access markets. If these gender disparities are addressed, Food insecurity and poverty would be reduced. REFERENCES 1.Amanour-Boadu, V, Tembo, G, Mwiinga, M, Hamukwala, P, Lubinda, R, Dalton, T, Feartherstone, A & Ross, K, Pulse Value Chain Initiative—Zambia. Kansas State University, USA. 2.Valenzuela, H., Smith, J. (2002). Cowpea Sustainable Agriculture Green Manure Crops, Aug. 2002,SA-GM-6. RESULTS Women participation in the value chain was significantly hindered by distance to the village market Access to credit or extension or both contributed positively women’s participation in the activities of the cowpea value chain Access to animal power positively and significantly influenced women participation in the cowpea value chain Women actively made cowpea production decisions in most households on their own but not marketing decisions. Men exclusively made cowpea marketing decisions in 50% of the households while no household allowed a woman to individually make cowpea marketing decisions. Cowpea production can lead to reduction in poverty and food insecurity by 10 and 5 percentage points respectively (Figure 1). ABSTRACT: This paper explores if thee is a the link between gender attributes of the farmers, different activities along the cowpea value chain and food security and poverty using recent cross-sectional data set of 124 farm households in Eastern Zambia. We used probit and endogenous switching probit regression models to account for both observed and unobserved heterogeneity. Results suggest that female-headed households are less food secure: they have fewer productive resources and assets. They also have limited access to extension, education, credit village markets and improved agricultural technologies. This has a negative impact on women participation in activities of the value chain and their welfare. The results imply that there is a need for inclusive gender approach that would deal with gender-based constraints along the cowpea value chain. INTRODUCTION Cowpeas are popular for their nutritional benefits derived from grains rich in protein, and fresh pods and leaves rich in minerals and vitamins. In addition, they are an excellent crop cover for suppressing weeds, improving soil fertility, nitrogen (Valenzuela & Smith, 2002). Cowpeas are important in Zambia because they are more drought tolerant than maize (Amanor-Boadu et al., 2011). Examining gender disparities along the cowpea value chain will help to identify gender-based constraints and opportunities and determine the implications on household food security and poverty. Figure 1: Contribution of cowpea production to food security and poverty Authors: Gondwe, T 1, Tegbaru, A 1, Alamu E. Oladeji 1,Khonje, M 1, Manda, J 1 and Gaya, H 1 1 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.